Constraints on the Phenomenology of Dissipative Cosmological Memory from BAO (BOSS + DESI 2024) and Pantheon+ Data

Abstract

We propose and test a phenomenological model of ``dissipative memory&#39;&#39; in the gravitational field, where early quantum gravitational processes leave a relic signature in the cosmic expansion rate. The model is parameterized by an additional fluid with amplitude $ε$, decay scale $z_*$, and a steepness index $β$, decaying according to a Debye law $f(z) = \exp[{-(z/z_*)^β}]$. We perform a joint Bayesian analysis using baryon acoustic oscillation data from BOSS DR12 and DESI 2024, photometric distances from Pantheon$+$, and $H_0$ measurements (SHOES and Planck). A global optimization reveals that the best fit is identical to $Λ$CDM: the memory correction vanishes across the entire observable range $z \in [0.3,\,2.3]$ ($Δχ^2 < 0.01$ with three extra parameters, $Δ\mathrm{AIC}=+6.0$, $Δ\mathrm{BIC}=+9.9$). This establishes an upper bound on the memory amplitude: $ε< 0.05$ for $z_* < 2$ (95% CL). We discuss the physical interpretation of this constraint and point out observational channels where the memory effect could potentially manifest.